http://B78B.http.cdn.softlayer.net/0...2013_1a429.jpgRANCHO CUCAMONGA, CALIF.-A virtual gathering of clans loped into a boxing gym in Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday to meet the press before the fight card led by undefeated super middleweight Andre “S.O.G.” Ward.
Ward fights Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez on Saturday Nov. 16, in defense of the WBA super middleweight title and to maintain status as one of the top prizefighters pound for pound. The Oakland boxer walked into Warzone Boxing Club along with other members of the fight card. HBO will televise the main event.
The fight card takes place at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.
Along with the media many interested fans arrived to see their favorite boxers. Among the boxers who joined the media day were Oscar and Javier Molina, Charles Huerta, Sergio Mora, Juan Funez, Jonathan Arrellano, John Molina and of course Ward and Rodriguez. All are ready to enter the ring.
“I can’t call it an undercard because the fights are so good,” said Dan Goossen, president of Goossen-Tutor Promotions. “We have a great collection of fights.”
Mora, who is known as “The Latin Snake,” is a former junior middleweight world champion, now a full-fledged middleweight. The East L.A. prizefighter with uncanny boxing skills has dared call out the middleweight champions Sergio Martinez and Gennady Golovkin. He’s paired against a dangerous Colombian knockout artist named Milton Nunez.
“We had two other fighters I was scheduled to fight but HBO said no. They want me to fight someone dangerous,” said Mora jokingly about Nunez who has 24 Kos in 28 wins. “I guess they’re hoping they can get someone to knock me out. It’s not gonna happen.”
Mora showed up at the boxing gym to talk to reporters and meet some of the other fighters. He then returned to East L.A. to prepare for his upcoming fight.
One other compelling fight is the junior lightweight showdown between Ontario’s Arrellano (13-2-2) and Paramount’s Huerta (18-3).
“We fought each other as amateurs,” said Huerta, 27. “He’s a slick fighter who moves well. I’m at the point of my career where every fight I have to make a statement.”
Arrellano remembers the amateur fight with Huerta and expects more.
“It’s a very interesting fight. Losing is never in my mind,” said Arrellano, who will be fighting in front of a hometown crowd. “I’ve always dreamed of fighting at the Citizens Bank Arena.”
Molina returns after an amazing last round knockout win against Mickey Bey Jr. in Las Vegas.
“I knew going into the fight against Floyd Mayweather’s fighter that I had to knock him out. The judges weren’t going to give me anything against a house fighter,” said Molina, who was accurate in his assessment because all three judges had Bey far ahead on their score cards last July. “We knew before the fight I had to win by knockout. I wasn’t planning to win a decision.”
Molina faces a fighter whose last name is Pimentel. But he has his sights focused on Omar Figueroa or Yuri Gamboa.
“In the grand scheme things happen for a reason,” Molina said.
Later in the day Rodriguez arrived and still later Ward. Each had his time in front of the microphones and video cameras.
The press conference takes place Thursday at Citizens Business Bank Arena’s Atrium Lobby at 11:30 a.m. It’s open to the public.
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